1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for inspecting a substrate. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for inspecting defects in photoresist patterns formed on a semiconductor substrate and inspecting results of an edge bead removal (EBR) process and an edge exposure of wafer (EEW) process in a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, semiconductor devices are manufactured through a three-step process. First, a fabricating process is performed for forming an electrical device, such as a transistor and a capacitor, on a silicon wafer used as a semiconductor substrate. Second, an inspecting process is performed for inspecting electrical characteristics of semiconductor devices formed on the semiconductor substrate. Third, a packaging process is performed for packaging the semiconductor devices to protect the semiconductor devices and for enabling the installation of the semiconductor devices in the various information communication devices.
During the manufacturing process, various films are formed on the semiconductor substrate by a film deposition process. Subsequently, the films are formed into the patterns having electrical characteristics using a photolithography process and an etching process. The photolithography process is performed for forming a photoresist film and for forming the photoresist film into photoresist patterns. The photoresist patterns are used as an etching mask in the etching process. The photolithography process has been noticed in semiconductor manufacturing technology as the patterns formed on the semiconductor substrate become minute and the aspect ratio of the pattern more increases.
A microscope inspecting process is performed for inspecting the photoresist patterns formed using the photolithography process before the etching process is performed. The microscope is used for inspecting defects of the photoresist patterns and for inspecting results of the performance of the EBR process for removing a photoresist film from a peripheral portion of the semiconductor substrate and the EEW process concerning the peripheral portion of the semiconductor substrate. It is not possible to objectively and statistically manage a microscope inspecting process because the microscope inspecting process depends significantly on a level of skill of an operator. In addition, the microscope inspecting process is not able to cope effectively with increases in a size of the semiconductor substrate. In addition, the time required to perform the microscope process may increase due to the performance of various other inspecting processes.
Several conventional systems and devices have been developed in an attempt to solve the foregoing problems. The conventional systems and device, however, are not able to perform the various inspecting processes because the conventional systems and devices used for performing the inspecting process address only specific portions of the substrate or patterns.